


Always a Pleasure

by WEDLUCAS



Category: Elementary (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-10
Updated: 2014-02-11
Packaged: 2018-01-11 20:57:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1177849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WEDLUCAS/pseuds/WEDLUCAS
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post season 2 episode 4. Will be cannon divergent from there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Sherlock wasn’t speaking again. For a man who claimed not to believe in anything as mundane as love he certainly had a type. Not that Joan could mention this or she’d get another lecture about how Abigail was a test subject. NOT a romantic entanglement, which would be more believable if he hadn’t been sulking since her recent arrest. Sighing she went and called into the living room.

‘Want some coffee? I’m putting on a pot.’

‘No, thank you, Watson.’ That was it. No longwinded explanation into why coffee was only to be drunk at certain times of the day or that caffeine had to be taken with precise measurements of the correct food to give the optimum amount of energy. Returning to the living room where Sherlock was watching his various screens, with her fresh mug. She paused in the doorway to take a sip watching him over the top of it.

‘Did you want to talk about it? Abigail, I mean.’

‘That won’t be necessary, Watson. There is nothing to discuss. She killed her father and is now protecting someone else who committed the same crime that she did. She believes that by confessing to the murder of her employer she is paying penance both for the murder of her own father, and for not protecting the boy from his. Whilst I know that the wrong person is in prison, I understand her motives and accept them. Now there are other things to discuss. Captain Gregson called. It would seem that there are whispers of Moriarty’s presence in New York again. I do not believe we are in any immediate danger, however it does give some insight into her plans since breaking out of prison.’

‘Hold on, Moriarty’s back in New York? And you didn’t think to tell me before now?’

‘Well I have told you now have I not? And had I jumped in earlier to bestow this information on you, you might’ve been alarmed.’

‘Of course I would be- am alarmed. Sherlock. If Irene is back then we need to do something.’

‘Precisely my thinking, now, my dear Watson we are going to go about our day and see if any opportunity presents itself to learn more of Moriarty’s plan since breaking out of prison.’

‘that’s it?’ she stares incredulously at him.

‘yes, there is not much else to be done I fear, at least not for the moment.’

‘Fine.’ She sighed out. ‘Fine we’ll just sit tight.’

Joan decides to admit defeat. At least for a while. Arguing tends to get you nowhere with Sherlock anyway.

‘I need to go the bank, I’ll be back in a while alright?’ He waved her away, attention already back on the screens in front of him.

 

Stepping out of the bank, closing up her purse and stuffing it into her handbag Joan hears a cough right in front of her. Startled she looks up and into the eyes of a face she hadn’t expected to see quite so soon.

‘Hello Watson, so good to see you again,’ Irene-no Moriarty- says with that ever present smug smile.

‘What are you doing here?’ Joan asks plainly.

‘Why visiting you of course. You don’t really believe our meeting to be a coincidence, do you? Come now Watson. I thought you smarter than that.’ And there it was the hint of steel behind her words; the threat amongst the flowers.

‘What do you want?’ Joan asked bluntly. Too tired and annoyed to be afraid.

‘The same as ever, just the pleasure of your company.’ She answers smiling impishly.


	2. Lunch Date

Joan found herself swept up in a strange sense of de javu as she gets driven to another restaurant for a second lunch date with this enigma of a woman. She is taken to a place even more elegant than the last time. Joan thinks for a strange moment that Irene might be trying to impress her. She rolls her eyes at herself.

 

The waiter seats them at a table by the window, the view is breathe-taking but Joan refuses to acknowledge this. Moriarty looks at her with that playful, almost teasing smile of hers, not saying a word. Joan breaks first.

 

‘What do you want with me?’

‘I told you already,’

‘Yes but somehow I don’t believe you kidnapped me for a friendly lunch date’

‘Hmmm perhaps not friendly no.’

‘Well?’

‘Oh, all right, if we must get straight down to business there are a few things I wanted to discuss with you.’ At this she called over the waiter and ordered a very expensive bottle of wine.

‘Might as well indulge ourselves, while we’re here, don’t you think?’ Joan did not reply, she was trying to figure out what the hell Moriarty might be planning. And also toying with the idea that she might just be mad.

 

‘It seems I underestimated you, and I very rarely read people wrong. So I want to get to know you.’

‘Solve me, you mean,’

‘Yes quite.’

‘Has it ever occurred to you and Sherlock that people are not simply puzzles to be figured out?’

‘Well, that’s where Sherlock and I differ you see I don’t think they are, I think of them as games. And, unfortunately I lost with you.’

‘and what, now you’re looking for a rematch? You’re insane’

She giggled at that. ‘Are you always this stern, I often wonder what it might take to loosen you up.’

‘You think about me often then?’ Joan asked without thinking.

‘Of course, I am after all rather fascinated by things I do not yet understand.’

 

Joan swallowed feeling more nervous now than she had previously. Taking a sip of the wine she glanced over at the other woman who gazed back openly, a façade of course but nonetheless Joan admitted to herself, Moriarty’s ability to lie quite so well was slightly impressive.

 

‘So how has the dating been going? I hear you are on a quest to find true love’ Moriarty smirked impishly. Joan bristled.

‘And how would you know I’ve been dating.’

‘Come now Watson, you know I have eyes everywhere. So?’

‘It’s all right, no one particularly interesting.’ She bit out reluctantly.

‘Yes I thought so. It’d be difficult for you to find someone that could match you wouldn’t it; I fear I’d have had that same problem had I ever been interested in pursuing romance.’

‘You think it beneath you? It’s funny that Sherlock says the same thing.’ There was a flash of something in Moriarty’s eyes but it was gone too quickly for Joan to grasp. Moriarty paused for a moment and leaned in slightly.

‘And yet he found you.’

‘There is absolutely nothing going on between me and Sherlock!’ Joan said, indignant, everyone always had to assume it.

‘Oh, I know, that wasn’t the point I was trying to make, however he does regard you of some sort of equal, does he not?’

‘Well yes.’

‘Then it’s settled she smiled’ she said with an heir that the conversation was over.

‘Now why don’t you tell me what you and Sherlock are working on at the moment.’

‘I’m not going to tell you about our case.’

‘Why ever not?’

‘Because you’re a criminal and there’s every chance you’re behind it in some way.’

‘What if I promise I’m not,’ she said eyes twinkling.

‘I wouldn’t believe you.’

‘I could pinkie promise if you like,’ she grinned extending her hand little finger outstretched. Joan felt flustered all of a sudden.

‘You know what I think I’ve had enough, this is insane.’ Joan said getting up from the table.

‘Oh you’re not leaving so soon are you? We were having such a nice date.’

‘I have to get back. And shouldn’t you be on the run anyway?’ she asked, deciding not to comment on the other woman’s word choice.

‘That’s much too pedestrian for a person with my standing I think,’

‘Oh right I forgot you’re much too clever to behave like a normal criminal and I’ve had enough of your games goodbye’

‘Until next time then Watson,’ Moriarty called to her back. Joan shook her head to herself as she walked away.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey thanks for reading guys. If you feel like letting me know what you thought, even if you hated it, and anything I can improve on that'd be awesome. Thanks


End file.
